10 things to see in Perugia

Perugia is a complete city: it has medieval, Etruscan, and Roman art inside, and it was the protagonist of the Renaissance period. Perugia is a capital full of art, architecture, and culture that still lives intensely today through nationally renowned events and sensational historical reinterpretations.

Palazzo dei Priori and Collegio del Cambio

It is a Gothic palace, the seat of the Municipality of Perugia, which can be admired both inside and out. The Collegio del Cambio, on the other hand, is the ancient seat of the bankers' guild of Perugia, inside which it is possible to visit the Sala Delle Adienze, frescoed in the fifteenth century by Perugino and his pupil Raphael.

The Fontana Maggiore and the Cathedral of Perugia

A real symbol of the city is located in Piazza IV November and tells the story of the mythical foundation of the city of Perugia. A circular staircase in white and pink marble rises on three levels, with a bronze basin from which water gushes.

The Cathedral of Perugia is dedicated to San Lorenzo and is also a very suggestive example of fourteenth-century art but which unfortunately has never been completed and its appearance remains, at least on the outside, quite bare. Inside it has three naves divided by mighty pillars and the internal decorations are a heritage of considerable importance for the city.

The Etruscan well, the Rocca Paolina, and the Hypogeum of the Volume

Perugia has a very rich Etruscan past and everything to tell, starting from the Etruscan well which is located in the historic center and dates back to the third century BC. It is a 36-meter-deep cavity carved into the rock. The well can now be visited and is very impressive.

It is a city within the city of Perugia, built on the will of Pope Paul III Farnese who intended to transform Perugia into a fortified citadel following its annexation to the Papal States.

To build it, churches, houses, and monasteries were demolished, but the fortress was destroyed in 1860. The small fragments that remain today are used to host events and markets and remain evidence of a troubled past.

The Hypogeum of the Volume is the oldest funerary monument of the Etruscan era. The construction of the tomb of this wealthy family is in the shape of a house complete with an atrium and rooms.

Lake Trasimeno and the city of Sunday

Going to Perugia also means being able to make interesting excursions in the surrounding area and discover, for example, one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy, the Trasimeno. Fourth in size in the whole country, Lake Trasimeno is not far from Perugia, and in summer it also allows you to take refreshing baths.

The City of Sunday is an amusement park designed by Mario Spagnoli, son of Luisa Spagnoli, the inventor of the famous Baci Perugina; it covers 45 hectares and includes exotic animals and attractions such as the Pinocchio Village.

Perugina Historical Museum and Chocolate House

Perugia is not only to see but also to taste, in particular, its chocolate is renowned throughout Italy. The Perugina Historical Museum traces the history of the most famous company in the city and also allows you to make delicious tastings.

The National Gallery of Umbria

If you still have a desire for art, then you should take a tour inside the most important gallery in the city which collects works of Umbrian art from the eighth to the nineteenth century, including masterpieces by Piero Della Francesca.